For fastening a first component and a second component at each other, tolerance-compensating elements are known in the prior art which compensate the distance between the first and the second component automatically or manually actuated during screwing in of a fastening screw. At the automatic tolerance compensation, the fastening screw rotates the inner sleeve by means of an inner dragger of the inner sleeve of the tolerance-compensating element so that the tolerance-compensating element is extended until it abuts at both components. Thereafter, both components block a further extension of the tolerance-compensating element. The disadvantage of these tolerance-compensating elements is that especially at easily deformable components already the abutment and further dragging of the inner sleeve by means of the fastening screw may lead to a bulging of at least one of the components to be connected to each other. Such a tolerance-compensating element is described in DE 20 2010 002 447 U1.
At distance sleeves that are manually actuated by means of a tool, the disadvantage is that they have to be secured or fastened by means of a special tool before they are braced between the two components as the fastening screw as fastening element of the distance sleeve is not yet inserted.
A distance sleeve which can be adjusted in its length by means of a tool is described in EP 1 533 185 B1. Here, the distance sleeve is inserted into a keyhole of a supporting part and is hold there in a rotation-proof manner by means of a tool. Further, the tool establishes a connection with a drive means in the interior of an adjusting sleeve of the distance sleeve. Solely by means of this inner engagement, the length of the distance sleeve is adjusted to the distance of the two components to be connected to each other, here the supporting part and a roof cover of a motor vehicle. Subsequently, both components are connected to each other by means of a fastening screw running through the adjustable distance sleeve. This construction has the disadvantage that a complex tool is required for fastening the distance sleeve in the keyhole of the supporting part. First of all, this tool holds the distance sleeve in its position. Further, this tool realizes a rotation blocking of the one sleeve of the distance sleeve. Further, the tool provides an engagement means that establishes a rotation connection with the drive means in the interior of the adjusting sleeve of the distance sleeve. Besides the high constructional effort for the tool for the installation of the distance sleeve, the keyhole used here has the disadvantage that the distance sleeve may be very easily released from the keyhole prior to the complete fastening of the distance sleeve. Installation errors and additional installation effort are related thereto.
A further adjustable distance sleeve for fastening a roof bar at a supporting structure of a motor vehicle is described in EP 2 720 907 B1. At this distance sleeve, the distance between a supporting part and a roof cover is also adjusted by means of an internally arranged drive means of the adjusting sleeve. Additionally, this distance sleeve provides besides a supporting on the supporting part also an adjustment of the distance sleeve to the angular position of the supporting part. This adaptability ensures that possible free spaces during the installation of the distance sleeve on the supporting part are closed. Thus, later setting procedures are avoided which may eventually lead to a releasing or loosening of the roof construction. Overall, the here described adjustable distance sleeve is complex in its construction and installation.
It is therefore an object of at least some embodiments of the present invention to provide a construction of an adjustable distance sleeve which is simplified compared to the prior art and which makes possible an efficient installation of the adjustable distance sleeve besides an efficient supporting and fastening of two adjacent components.